<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Date Night by hallelujah99</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29614179">Date Night</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/hallelujah99/pseuds/hallelujah99'>hallelujah99</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Goodkind-Shalifoe Family [11]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Wilds (TV 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Domestic Fluff, F/F, Fluffyfest, Parenthood, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, nothing bad happens ever</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 17:02:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,233</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29614179</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/hallelujah99/pseuds/hallelujah99</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Shelby and Toni's young daughters decide to plan a little surprise for their moms. </p><p>(Part of a series/universe but can be read as a standalone)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Shelby Goodkind/Toni Shalifoe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Goodkind-Shalifoe Family [11]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2088612</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>116</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Date Night</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It all started when Shelby’s mom sent her a box of junk she didn’t want anymore but couldn’t bring herself to throw away. She was downsizing, moving out of Shelby’s childhood home after the death of her husband. </span>
  <span>Shelby looked through everything, random souvenirs and old artifacts from her childhood and teenage years. Among them was a white tablecloth that she’d started embroidering one summer before she got bored of it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she tried to decide what to do with everything, her older daughter, Isla approached her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is that?” the ten year old asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s an old tablecloth your grandma sent me. I’m not sure what to do with it.” Shelby told her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Put it on the table?” Isla asked, and Shelby chuckled. “No, no, we don’t need to do that. It would make our table like a fancy restaurant or something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, Isla’s eyes sparkled, and Shelby could tell she was getting an idea.  </span>
  <span>Isla snatched the tablecloth from her and ran out of the room, calling for her five year old sister, June.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A few minutes later, Isla came back into the room, pulling June behind her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mama, we wanna do a surprise for you and Mom.” Isla said, grinning. Shelby could tell Isla wanted to “do a surprise” and June, as usual, was simply along for the ride, but she nodded. “What were you thinking?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, let’s just say, June and I are cooking dinner tonight! Once Mom comes home, you guys can just stay upstairs until we’re ready for you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shelby’s eyes shot open at the thought of Isla trying to cook by herself. Her mind immediately flashed through possibilities: Isla putting an empty pot on a hot burner and forgetting about it, putting metal in the microwave, slipping and dropping a knife, or something made of glass...the possibilities were endless and terrifying.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wanted so badly to say no, absolutely no chance. But she thought back to a conversation she and Toni had a few nights prior, about how Isla would never learn to be independent if she was never given the opportunity to try. So she gave some rules and talked her through kitchen safety, June listening in and clearly making mental notes, while Isla giggled and dug through the pantry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>_</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Toni arrived home from her work event just as Shelby finished taping a “NO METAL” sign to the door of the microwave. Shelby heard the door open, and a sweet call of “Mommy!” from June, quickly followed by Isla bellowing “MOM!” from across the house, and the sound of footsteps as she raced to greet her. Shelby made her way to the front door to find Isla on Toni’s back, dangling from around her neck, and June wrapped tightly around her leg, as Toni struggled to take her coat off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A little help?” Shelby offered with a smile, leaning in to kiss her wife before pulling the jacket out from between Toni and Isla. “OW!” Isla yelled dramatically. “If you didn’t hang on her back you wouldn’t have that problem.” Shelby reminded her, knowing full well Isla wasn’t hurt in the slightest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have to hang on to her, she’s my human jungle gym.” Isla protested. And even though Shelby was sure it couldn’t be physically comfortable for her wife, she loved the familiar site of her all her girls melded together. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What if we all head to the park for a bit so you can play on an actual jungle gym?” Toni offered. Isla squealed and slipped off her mother’s back, but June stopped her before she could throw her shoes on. “I gotta tell you a secret!” she exclaimed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>June leaned over and completely audibly whispered to Isla “Remember the surprise?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isla’s eyes lit up. “Oh yeah! Okay, Mom and Mama, you gotta go up to your room and close the door and do NOT come out.” Toni’s eyes bugged so far out her head Shelby was afraid she’d pull a muscle, but Shelby quickly intercepted, “Remember what we discussed about being safe, okay? And if anything happens, come get us immediately, we won’t be mad.” She gave each girl a kiss and said a silent prayer before leading her wife upstairs. </span>
  <span>Shelby pulled Toni into their bedroom and closed the door behind them, as instructed. “So what did our kids just set us up for?” Toni asked, and she just laughed. </span>
  <span>“I have an idea but I think they really want it to be surprising.” Shelby told her, and Toni nodded before laying out on the bed. Shelby nestled into her side, and they settled in, talking about their days and upcoming plans. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shelby didn’t even realize they were drifting off together until they were woken by June, rubbing one hand over each of her mothers’ heads. </span>
  <span>“What’re you doing, Junebug?” Toni asked as she stretched herself awake. June looked confused. “It’s how you wake people up?” she stated. Shelby nodded, it was indeed how they always woke June up, and she didn’t know anything else. It reminded her again of the stark contrast between her daughters, as Isla’s style would have been to run and jump on top of both of them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She noticed then, that June had changed and was wearing a white button-down with black pants, looking like a professional little woman. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’re you all dressed up for?” Toni asked, before Shelby could. June didn’t answer, instead pulling on them to get out of bed, and they each grabbed one of her hands as she walked them down the stairs. She dropped their hands and ran ahead to a small table that had apparently been moved to the entry to the dining room. The lights in the room had been dimmed and some soft jazz was playing from their home audio system. She picked up a clipboard and looked at them with a huge smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Welcome to The Jula Restaurant! Do you have a reservation?” she asked. Shelby broke into a grin, and Toni met her eyes with the same look on her face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Should be under Mommy.” Toni said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm…” June looked over the clipboard, which was covered in barely decipherable letters, spelling out every word she knew how to write. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t see it.” She said with an apologetic smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s right there.” Toni said, reaching out to point to the “MOMMY” that had a heart written after it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>June pulled the clipboard to her chest. “I have to ask you not to touch restaurant property, miss.” It was so unlike June’s real personality that Shelby could barely contain her laughter, she could hear in the intonation that this was something Isla had taught her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe it’s under Goodkind-Shalifoe?” Shelby tried. June didn’t bother to look, just shook her head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have a reservation. But you’re lucky because we just got an opening, so you can follow me, but this is a one-time deal, got it?” They followed June to the dining table, covered in that old white tablecloth, and she tugged on Shelby’s sleeve and whispered “You guys know I was just pretending to be mean, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, baby. It can be fun to be an actress if everyone is okay with it, right?” June nodded before pulling the chair out to allow Shelby to sit down. She handed them each a menu, which had clearly been typed up by Isla-every word was a different color and different font, and she had made liberal and completely random use of her ability to bold, italicize and underline. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Miss.” Toni said with a smile. “I’ll just go grab you guys some water and give you some time to look at the menu.” June disappeared to the kitchen, the sound of her laughing with her sister ringing into the dining room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once they actually started reading the menu, it wasn’t long before they were near tears. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fresh, homemade pasta with special aged cheese from a very secret and old cow farm. Aka Easy Mac.” Toni read aloud. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Crispy flatbread with fresh ripe tomato sauce, delicate white cheese sprinkles and highest quality meat circles. Aka frozen pizza.” Shelby responded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where does she come up with this stuff?” Shelby marveled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You, the creative side, that’s all you.” Toni replied. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shelby shook her head “I can sing, that’s it. I could never come up with creative stuff like this.” Toni knitted her brows in confusion “Are you kidding? All the art projects you come up with for them? All the little plays you put on with them, the voices when you read stories? You’re so creative babe! I’ve got none of that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s Shelby’s turn to disagree “Who’s the one who’s always coming up with random games at the park, or when we're stuck in traffic or whatever? And who makes sure June can dress like a tomboy without looking like a slob? And don’t even get me started because I hear the voices you do when you’re reading!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Toni blushed and opened her mouth to protest, but just then, June came back to the room, holding a salad in each hand, followed by Isla, carrying two glasses of water. “Sorry, I forgot to tell you but we actually serve salads first here.” June said, setting one in front of each mother. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s okay, thank you!” Toni told her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Also, I’m the chef,” stated Isla, dressed in an apron. “But I also work as a waitress.” They nodded, knowing Isla just couldn’t not be in the spotlight for more than a minute. “Also, I came out here to ask you if you’d like a special surprise to drink.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A special surprise?” Shelby inquired, and Isla nodded “a </span>
  <em>
    <span>very </span>
  </em>
  <span>special surprise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For sure!” Toni replied, and Isla ran off, giggling like a maniac, June trailing after her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do we even have to drink? Water, milk, gatorade…” Toni started “and orange juice, but I’m pretty sure that’s it.” Shelby finished. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, did you teach them how to use the coffee maker?” Toni asked, and Shelby could see they were thinking the same thing-the 101 ways that could go wrong. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I didn’t...” Shelby said, her feet itching to go check on what her daughters were doing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A moment later, she sort of wished it had been coffee, when out walked June carrying two wine glasses and Isla carrying a full bottle of wine. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where did you get that?!” they both exclaimed at once, and Isla shrugged. “Behind all the baking pans, of course.” They didn’t tend to keep alcohol in the house, despite all the growing she’d done in her life, Toni wanted to be able to draw a line that ensured she’d never put her children in the same situations she’d been in. But Fatin had brought the wine over for a girl’s night, ages ago, and it had ended up tucked away in the cabinet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shelby noticed something else, then. “How did you uncork it?!” Isla shrugged and smiled “I watched a video.” </span>
  <span>Isla poured them each a splash of wine, and Shelby tried not to be disturbed. “You have to cheers!” June reminded them, and Shelby held up her glass. “To my incredible wife and our crazy, thoughtful, creative daughters.” She toasted, tapping her glass against Toni’s with a clink.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know who your daughters are, I’m just the chef.” Isla announced, apparently fully immersed in her role. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After they finished their salads, June came out with her clipboard and a brand new sheet of paper, ready to take their orders. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll have the artisan pink ham and creamy wisconsin cheddar on bakery-fresh bread, please” Toni told her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll have the...Fresh, homemade pasta with special aged cheese from a very secret and old cow farm” Shelby said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>June scrunched her face up. “How do you spell all that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shelby’s mac and cheese was cold by the time it came out, as Isla had apparently taken some time to plate it (and probably eat some), a small mound of it sitting on one side of a large plate with a few ripped up salad leaves on the other side. Toni’s sandwich bread was squished from where it had been cut into strange shapes, before being arranged in some sort of pattern on the plate. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they sat alone together in the dining room, their daughters still laughing in the kitchen, Toni reached across the table for Shelby’s hand. “This is one of my favorite meals ever.” She whispered. Shelby didn’t reply, she already knew Toni could sense in her smile that she couldn’t agree more. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>June brought out their third course, a large scoop of ice cream to share, then both girls joined them at the table to dig in as well. “Is this something you do with all your customers?” Toni asked with a smirk. “No, only the ones who show up without reservations.” Isla replied, an absolutely identical smirk on hers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I see The Jula Restaurant doesn’t employ a dish-washer.” Toni commented, as they entered the kitchen to find all the plates that had been bussed from the table sitting on the counter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nope, also, The Jula Restaurant is closed now.” Isla stated, pulling her apron off. “It’s the... Shoni restaurant now, and June and I have reservations tonight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girls ran upstairs, laughing together, as Shelby and Toni stole a few quick kisses before getting to work in the kitchen.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This was inspired by a super cute TikTok I cannot for the life of me find anymore lol</p><p>I hope you all enjoyed! I love writing fluff for this universe! Got a few more in the works as well (as well as one in this universe that's much more angsty....)</p><p>Please drop a comment to let me know your thoughts, or any prompts you have for this universe! I just love this family so much!</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>